Tool



March 91948. R. MARTlNEs y2,437,432

TooL Filed Oct. l, 1946 ley/@Www A T TOR Neva Patented Mar. 9, 1948 'rooL Rene1 Martines, Cranstonf. I. 1. Appiieatmaoemberi, 1946,)seria1No. 700,438

5 .canna (c1. 30a-252er This invention-=relatesto' Aa YmanuallyV operable tool-fof thewtype in Q 4which manually A actuated members are movable toward- `and' lfrom each other bythe hand -to cause movement of jaws or other-operable parts. `y

Oneadalztation- -r oill this invention is to Ycutting pliersaor the; like in `which two actuating members are provided-for movement toward *each other by :pressure ofthe hand. 1 It is well known that When the handf-isfully-.expanded andithe thumb! and fingers are ljust grasping two :such

actuating or:handlemembersthat the strongest pressure ofwhich the-.hand- -is capable oannotbe applied in thislv position.s Further when the hand is fully collapsed or doubled up such greatestL pressure cannot bei applied. A point between Vthis full expanded and fully closed position. of fthe appl-ication -Ser.7 Noi;a 506,575, now Patent No. 2,410,889, granted November 12, 1946, the power multiplying means is normally moved into engagement with the steps through which it is applied and df a stroke is desired without the eiect of the power multiplying means it is necessary to hold the yoke out of engagement with the step,

One of the objects of this invention is to improve upon the construction ofthe tool shown in my prior application as above identified.

Another object of this invention is to provide an arrangement so that the *multiplying means will not 'come into' action until there is resistance encountered to the movement of the handles toward each other in` an amount suflicient to cause a relative movement of a lever which forms a part of the handle.

Another object of this invention is to provide an arrangement so that the power means comes into operation automatically or mechanically when needed but remains out of action when no resistance is offered and a normal movement of the handles toward and from each other is suiiicient to operate the device.

Another object of this invention is to provide ran. arrangement so that the power actuating means will =be free throughout the stroke of the handle means unless some resistance to the movement of the members toward each Iother occurs.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists of certain novel features ofr construction as -will be more fully described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

With referenceg-to the-accompanying drawinlgsz'.y Fig. A1 isa top =plan View of this" invention-apa` plied toa pair of cutters shown vin closed 'positions Figi l2 a view-similar -toFig.'--1 ishowingthe cutters in open-position Fig is an edge lviewof the lcutters;L

4 isr alfragmenta-l View .similar to Figi-.2 but illustrating parts broken awayto show the :internal operating mechanism: v-

Fig. 5 is la perspective view of the linkewhiche connects -the two `operating members;-'

Withfmeference to the drawings vvhichillusw trate the inventionas applied to pliersor cutters in whichthe movable vmembers lare pivotedfbne member I isc-pivoted tothe other-.memberfi I asv at lI2fso Athat thejaws I3 and Mot the members@ I and II -will move 'withl then members asathe members Aflllzanvd I I are relatively swung-about# the Vpivot- |2.4 A cuttingedge :I iis-provide'd;0n-m..`

In the use of the tool shown in my co-pending-- is provided-fonl-thej awel 4 to be.` engaged Ab'ycdzhewv jaw I3 asv the two are brought together..v

The actuating member I0 on the opposite side of the pivot from the jaw I3 consists of a handle which is of the same piece of material as jaw I3 or a piece which -is integral with the jaw I3. This member I0 carries a ratchet or step element 2I extending from its inner edge toward the other member and providing a plurality of ratchet teeth 22 along its upper surface.

The handle which is carried by the member I I consists of a lever 25 pivoted as at 26 to the portion 21 of the member II so as to rock relative to this member I I about the ,pivot 26. The portion on one side of the pivot designated 28 serves as a handle in opposed relation to the opposite handle 20, while the portion 29 on the other side of the pivot 26 provides a short power arm when acting about the pivot 26.

Alignment -lolock 30 engages the inner surface 3I of the lever 25 and the inner surface 32 of the short member I I so as to cause these to substantially align, Thisy block 30 is loosely mounted upon a pin 33 which is threadedly mounted as at 34 in the handle lever 28 while its head 35 maintains the block in engagement with the pin.

Another pin 36 loosely extends through a hole 31 in the block 30 and is threadingly mounted as at 38 in the lever 28. A head 39 is provided on this pin and a spring 40 is located beneath the head and presses upon the block so as to maintain the alignment relation which theV block effects.

A yoke 4I shown in perspective in Fig. 5 is pivoted as at 42 on the power arm 23 and extends across the short member II so that its end 43 acts as a pawl to engage any one of the ratchet teeth 22 of the part 2l which extends between the tWo members I and Il. An inclined slot 44 is provided in the short arm of member l and a pin 45 which is carried by the yoke 4l extends into this slot. The movement of the power arm 29 against the short member il serves to swing the yoke upwardly away from the ratchet teeth 22 in the member 2| and thus maintains the yoke out of engagement with these teeth, during normal operation of the handles 2D and 28 toward each other, thus the power action utilizing these teeth and the increased leverage is not utilized when little or no resistance is encountered.

If however, a sufficient resistance occurs by reason of the toughnesso-f the work (see Fig. 2), then, as shown in Fig. 4 flexing of the lever 25 or movement of this lever 25 about its pivot 26 occurs causing the block 30 to move inwardly, as shown in Fig. 4, and causing the pin e5 to slide down the inclined slot 44 so that the'yoke 4| moves its pawl or bridging end 43 into engagement with teeth 22 of the Ymember 2B andthus the multiplication of the pressure by reason of the lever 25 coming into action occurs and delivers an increased pressure' upon the worktli forcing its cutting jaws i 3 and I4 toward each other vwith a much greatenpressure than was provided prior to the coming int-o action of the lever 25.V y y In this manner the pressure which is required in ordinary operation of a pair of cutter may be utilized but when an Vincreased pressure is required this increased pressure will automatically come into actionY by continued squeezing of the handle members so as to relatively swing the lever on one of them and apply power through this increased leverage by a yoke swinging 4into a position to engage andV pull upon the other member at the time that the pivotal relation occurs between the lever and the member on' which it is mounted. f

Iclaim:

1. In a device of the class described, a pair of members having work engaging jaws at one end thereof, means connecting said members together for movement toward and from each other, one of said members being shorter than the other member, a lever, a pivot mounting said lever intermediate its ends on the shorter member and extending from the shorter member into opposed relation with the longer member to form a hand grip on one side of the pivot and a power arm on the other side of the pivot, resilient means engaging the lever and shorter member and holding said lever so as to move` as one with the shorter member until a predeterminedresistance is met whereupon the lever will then swing on its pivot, means for transmitting movement of said lever about its pivot to said longer member including a link extending between said power arm and longer member and pivot-ed t0 one of them and including means having steps xed to the other of them and so arranged that said link will clear said steps and means responsive to movement of said lever on its pivot to swing said link into engagement into said steps for transmitting movement from said arm to said longer member.

2. A device as set forth in claim 1 wherein sai-d steps are iixed to said longer member on the side thereof toward 'the shorter member and said pivot is on said power arm.

3. A device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said steps are successively engaged by said link as said members are closed against a resistance sufficient to swing said lever relative to said shorter member.

Ll. A device as set forth in claim 1 wherein the members are pivotally related.

5. A device as set forth in claim 1 wherein the means to swing the link member is an inclined slot and pin acting between said link and shorter` 

